Posted on 03/01/2006 8:28:17 PM PST by neverdem
WASHINGTON -- Federal agents made mistakes while searching for illegal firearm sales at Richmond gun shows, a top federal law enforcement officer told congressional investigators yesterday.
But the official also defended aggressive gun-show patrols conducted by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents and local police, saying that they had prevented violent criminals from buying weapons.
"We acknowledge that some techniques used in our Richmond operations were not implemented in a manner consistent with ATF's best practices," Michael Bouchard, assistant director of field operations for the agency, told the House judiciary subcommittee on crime.
"However, we, along with our law enforcement partners, feel very strongly that our efforts at Richmond gun shows have reduced violent crime and made the streets of Virginia and America safer," he said.
The subcommittee launched an investigation into police patrols at Richmond-area gun shows between 2004 and 2005 after attendees said officers harassed gun buyers. Show organizers complained about a large, visible police presence that, they said, scared away would-be buyers.
ATF agents set up a command post at the show, increasing the number of visible police officers on site. Bouchard said moving the post from show grounds was one of the things his agents could have done differently.
At a hearing two weeks ago, show organizers and attendees told the panel that police racially profiled gun buyers by targeting minorities. Bouchard called that allegation "totally false."
Show organizers also complained that their buyers were subjected to an unfair level of scrutiny. In several cases, ATF agents or officers with city, county or state police were dispatched to talk with a buyers' relatives or neighbors to confirm an address listed on background check forms.
Bouchard defended these residency checks as necessary to stopping illegal sales.
ATF said it polices about one in 50 gun...
(Excerpt) Read more at timesdispatch.com ...
Criminal charges. Now.
At least they weren't eating donuts.
They have to be on the look out for full-auto shoelaces.
"However, we, along with our law enforcement partners, feel very strongly that our efforts at Richmond gun shows have reduced violent crime and made the streets of Virginia and America safer,"
In other words, it doesn't matter that what we did was illegal and unconstitional, its our agenda that counts.
feel very strongly
HERE HERE TOTALLY AGREE
To the contrary, it sounds like their very best practices. Best for them that is, not for the citizenry. Must be a bitch having a job whose very existence is abhorrent to the Constitution of the United States.
Very telling. They aren't law enforcement. They are tax collectors. Why do they carry silenced MGs? The last IRS agent I saw carried a pencil. And still kicked my @$$.
Wanna-be's.
/johnny
Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms............Sounds like a good store to me!
What a damm shame.. this agency should be done away with. Im still trying to find the text in the constitution that requires background checks, permits to carry, waiting periods, and registration (for certain parts of the country). If any libs out there can help me out and point it out to me and every other freeper it would be helpfull...
FROM MY COLD DEAD HANDS!!!!!!!!!!!
/johnny
/johnny
Both of those were the FBI. Admittedly they were cleaning up the BATF's messes at the time, but the trigger pullers were from the Federal Bureau of Incineration.
"They have already gotten away with burning a bunch of kids alive and having a highly trained "sniper" drop a woman holding a baby why the hell should they worry about a few procedural violations"
Agreed.
I was aware of that. They all are on the same team when it's "showtime"
Sounds like "the end justifies the means", from where I sit.
Bureau.... and yes you are correct... technically it is a bureau.. more like a bunch of goons...
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